SHAMANISM.
The term Shamanism is a corrupted form of the Sanscrit word for ascetic. Its original application was to the religion of certain tribes of northern Asia, but in general it expresses the worship of spirits with magic arts and fetich-practices. The Shaman or priest pretends to control by incantations and ceremonies the evil spirits to whom death, sickness, and other misfortunes are ascribed. This form or stage of religion is so prevalent among the North American Indians that the adoption of the term Shaman here is substantially correct, and it avoids both the stupid expression “medicine-man” of current literature and the indefinite title priest, the associations with which are not appropriate to the Indian religious practitioner. The statement that the Indians worship one “Great Spirit” or single overruling personal god is erroneous. That philosophical conception is beyond the stage of culture reached by them and was not found in any tribe previous to missionary influence. Their actual philosophy can be expressed far more objectively and therefore pictorially.
Many instances of the “Making Medicine” are shown in the Dakota Winter Counts; also graphic expressions regarding magic. Especial reference may be made to American-Horse’s count for the years 1824-’25 and 1843-’44, in the Corbusier Winter Counts.
Figure 110 was copied from a piece of walrus ivory in the museum of the Alaska Commercial Company, of San Francisco, California, by Dr. Hoffman, and the interpretation is as obtained from an Alaskan native.
Fig. 110.—Shaman exorcising Demon. Alaska.
1, 2. The Shaman’s summer habitations, trees growing in the vicinity.
3. The Shaman, who is represented in the act of holding one of his “demons.” These “evil spirits” are considered as under the control of the Shaman, who employs them to drive other “evil beings” out of the bodies of sick men.
4. The demon or aid.
5. The same Shaman exorcising the demons causing the sickness.
6, 7. Sick men, who have been under treatment, and from whose bodies the “evil beings” or sickness has been expelled.
8. Two “evil spirits” which have left the bodies of Nos. 6 and 7.
Fig. 111 represents a record of a Shamanistic nature, and was copied by Dr. Hoffman from an ivory bow in the museum of the Alaska Commercial Company in 1882. The interpretation was also obtained at the same time from an Alaskan native, with text in the Kiatexamut dialect of the Innuit language.
The rod of the bow upon which the characters occur is here represented in three sections, A, B, and C. A bears the beginning of the narrative, extending over only one-half of the length of the rod. The course of the inscription is then continued on the adjacent side of the rod at the middle, and reading in both directions (section B and C), towards the two files of approaching animals. B and C occupy the whole of one side.
Fig. 111.—Supplication for success. Alaska.
The following is the explanation of the characters.
A. No. 1. Baidarka or skin boat resting on poles.
2. Winter habitation.
3. Tree.
4. Winter habitations.
5. Store-house.
6. Tree. Between this and the store-house is placed a piece of timber, from which are suspended fish for drying.
7. Store-house. From 1 to 7 represents an accumulation of dwellings, which signifies a settlement, the home of the person to whom the history relates.
8. The hunter sitting on the ground, asking for aid, and making the gesture for supplication.
9. The Shaman to whom application is made by the hunter desiring success in the chase. The Shaman has just finished his incantations, and while still retaining his left arm in the position for that ceremony, holds the right toward the hunter, giving him the success requested.
10. The Shaman’s winter lodge.
11. Trees.
12. Summer habitation of the Shaman.
13. Trees in vicinity of the Shaman’s residence.
B. No. 14. Tree.
15. A Shaman standing upon his lodge, driving back game which had approached a dangerous locality. To this Shaman the hunter had also made application for success in the chase, but was denied, hence the act of the Shaman.
16. Deer leaving at the Shaman’s order.
17. Horns of a deer swimming a river.
18. Young deer, apparently, from the smaller size of the body and unusually long legs.
C. No. 19. A tree.
20. The lodge of the hunter (A. 8), who, after having been granted the request for success, placed his totem upon the lodge as a mark of gratification and to insure greater luck in his undertaking.
21. The hunter in the act of shooting.
22-23. The game killed, consisting of five deer.
24. The demon sent out by the Shaman (A. 9) to drive the game in the way of the hunter.
25-28. The demon’s assistants.
The original text above mentioned with interlinear translation, is as follows:
Nu-nŭm´-cu-a u-xlá-qa, pi-cú-qi-a kú da ku-lú-ni, ka-xá-qa-lŭk´.
Settlement man came, hunting go wanted (to), (and) Shaman (he) asked.
Ká-xa-qlŭm´ mi-ná-qa lu-qú ta-xlí-mu-nŭk tu-dú-ia-nŭk. Ká-xlá-lŭk
Shaman gave to him five deer. Shaman
ú-qli-ni u[n]-i-lum´ kaí-na-nŭn´ ka-xá-hu pi-gú, í-u-nĭ
went to lodge (where), standing spirits [incantations] devil
the top (winter habitation) on top made he,
of
aú-qkua-glu-hu té-itc-lu-gĭ´ té xle-mĕn´ tun dú-ia-gūt, taú-na-cŭk
sent to him [the hunter] brought to him five deer, same man
(and)
pi-xlu-nĭ´ ta-xlí-mu-nŭk tun-duĭ´-a-xa-nŭk´ tú-gu-xlí-u-qi. A-xlí-lum
he caught five deer killed. Another
[secured]
Ká-xla-qlŭm´ tu-mú-qtcu-gí.
Shaman not gave them.
(To whom application had been made previously.)